Shiels opts to give youth a chance by bringing new faces into NI mix
four years! If we get promoted to the Premiership it would be tempting to play for another season — that would be a nice way to bow out.
I’ ll see how we all feel at the end of the season. You’re told to play on for as long as you can and I’m a proud 38- year- old playing in the second highest
league in Northern Ireland.
Q AWho has been the best player you have played with?
Big Glenn Ferguson was a special talent, there aren’t too many players like him about today. Paddy McLaughlin was a big influence at Institute, he was a captain who didn’t tolerate messing in training and he had high demands while expecting dedication.
It’s 100% or nothing with Paddy and we are seeing how driven he is at Cliftonville, where he is doing well. I also had great times at Institute under Liam Beckett when we won the league and Intermediate Cup.
Q AHow supportive have your family been?
My wife Tiffany loves football and she runs her own health and well-being business called T&R Global, so she makes sure I’m eating the right things. She’s prolonging my career and will bring the three kids to the games.
You are away from home a lot and Tiffany is brilliant at dealing with that. I knew her from years ago and then one night we met in Omagh.
We have been married for four years and the kids are Kendal (5), Hanley (3) and Reefe is 15 months. It’s hard to explain but you are a different person when you look into your first born’s eyes for the first time. We got married the following year and we’ve added to the family.
Hopefully the kids will get involved in sport because it’s great for your development. My mum Sadie, sadly, passed away six years ago while my dad Thomas is still with us.
They were always easy going and never pushed me hard, they let me make my own decisions. If I was happy, they were happy.
I’ve three brothers, Ross, Clive and Steven and sister Cherry. Ross, who used to play for Dergview, is living in Luxembourg and working for Amazon. I’m living in Fermanagh, that’s where my heart lies.
Q AWhat happened with your mum?
My granny had passed away earlier and my mum suffered from depression and developed a drink issue. We managed to get her off the drink but the damage was done and she passed away after a massive stroke.
The doctors felt that the drink had affected her body. Mum was 62 and that’s too young in my eyes.
I had turned 31 and it was a massive blow. Tiffany and my family were a great support and a brilliant circle of friends in football helped me as well.
Mum was always checking how my career was going and the hurt is still there. On days like the Irish Cup final, it really hits home because family members are there and mum isn’t.
That feeling of loss weighed heavily on the day but she’s always watching over me and helped me get there.
When she passed away i t didn’t really hit me until three months later and then I didn’t know what to do.
I was depressed but pushed myself on and my friends helped me.
You talk to other people who can relate to what you’re going through and it’s a big help. Football was a great medicine to get rid of the depression.
Q AWill you go into coaching?
I would like to do some coaching with strikers but at the minute I’m just focused on playing.
With Larne out of the picture, the race for promotion is more open for Championship clubs. Harry’s got a great squad and we have a chance. KENNY Shiels has made seven changes to his Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming Uefa Women’s Euro 2021 qualifying double-header.
Shiels’ side travel to Norway on November 8 before returning to Seaview, where they host Wales three days later, and will do it with a much-changed panel from the last international window, when they were beaten by the Norwegians but drew in Wales.
The new names bring a youthfulness to the squad, with six of the seven having featured regularly in the Northern Ireland women’s Under-19 and Under-17 set-ups in recent years.
The players coming in are Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Lauren Perry, Blackburn defender Kelsie Burrows, Cliftonville defender Toni-Leigh Finnegan, Glentoran midfielder Emma McMaster and Linfield strikers Casey Howe and Caitlin McGuinness.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Becky Flaherty, who was a late call-up to the previous squad, has also been included.
The players left out this time by Shiels are experienced keepers Jackie Burns and Emma Higgins, defenders Claragh Connor, Natalie Johnson and Yasmin White, plus midfielders Kerry Montgomery and Rebecca Holloway.
Shiels, who was appointed to the manager’s role back in May, opted for mainly experienced players in his panel for his opening two competitive fixtures, however he has now decided to give youth a chance.
World Cup quarter-finalists Norway are the top seeds in Qualifying Group C and currently top the table with three wins out of three, having scored 26 goals and conceded just one. Northern Ireland squad to face Norway and Wales: Goalkeepers: Rebecca Flaherty, Lauren Perry. Defenders: Julie Nelson, Ashley Hutton, Demi Vance, Rachel Newborough, Freya Holdaway, Kelsie Burrows, Toni-Leigh Finnegan. Midfielders: Marissa Callaghan, Sarah McFadden, Rachel Furness, Chloe McCarron, Megan Bell, Rebecca McKenna, Emma McMaster. Forwards: Simone Magill, Lauren Wade, Caitlin McGuinness, Casey Howe.